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Motor Vehicle Policy

Program Description

This policy is intended to provide the requirements by which Roger Williams University and Roger Williams School of Law employees and students are permitted to safely operate University owned, leased, or rented motor vehicles.

Driver Authorization Form

Accident Procedure

If an accident occurs with a Motor Vehicle, the following steps should be taken by the driver:

If an accident occurs on-campus, do not leave the scene of the accident. Call the Department of Public Safety at extension 4357 (HELP) or 401.254.3333.

If an accident occurs off-campus, do not leave the scene of the accident. Call 911 or the local police department. You must request that a police report be taken to document the accident. Upon the return to campus, notify the Department of Environmental Health & Safety at 401.254.3494.

Contact your supervisor immediately after calling 911 or the Department of Public Safety.

Make no statement that would assume any obligation or admit liability.

Provide the other party with the insurance information contained in the Motor Vehicle, as well as your name, address, and the telephone number.

Accidents involving rented Motor Vehicles must also be reported to the rental agency.

Roadside Assistance

The University has obtained 24-hour roadside assistance for Motor Vehicles owned by the University and assigned to the Department of Athletics, Student Programs and Leadership, and the Intercultural Center. Information on the roadside assistance service is located in each Motor Vehicle. Employees and students should use this service when they are off-campus and encounter a need for roadside assistance service (i.e. vehicle will not start, break down, lock out, flat tire, etc.).

Who must obtain driver authorization?

Employees (includes faculty and staff) and students of Roger Williams University and Roger Williams University School of Law who operate motor vehicles owned or leased by the University and employees who rent motor vehicles for University-related activities. Employees using their personal motor vehicles to conduct University business need not obtain driver authorization.

What are the requirements to obtain driver authorization?

Employees must be at least twenty years old.

Students must be at least twenty years old, be enrolled full-time, and have attained sophomore status.

Persons who are both employees and students must be at least twenty years old and may be enrolled either part-time or full-time. Full-time employees may be any class year, but part-time employees must have attained sophomore status.

Employees and students must be actively licensed to drive in any of the United States or the District of Columbia, and such license must have been valid for a minimum three years.

Students are required to attend the mandatory Defensive Driver Training course offered by the University. Except for full-time employees, persons who are both employees and students are required to attend the course.

I am an employee and I drive motor vehicles that are owned or leased by the University or I rent motor vehicles for University-related activities. What do I have to do to comply with this Policy?

Complete the Roger Williams University Driver Authorization Form and have the head of your department sign the Form. Submit the completed Form to the Department of Public Safety. The Department of Department of Public Safety will obtain a copy of your Motor Vehicle Report from your state department of motor vehicles to ensure that your driving record complies with the guidelines in the Policy. If authorization is granted by the Department of Department of Public Safety, your name will be placed on the Approved Authorized Drivers list, updated weekly on the "Motor Vehicle Program" webpage on the Public Safety website, under the "Transportation" tab.

I am a student and I drive motor vehicles that are owned or leased by the University. What do I have to do to comply with this Policy?

Complete the Roger Williams University Driver Authorization Form and have the head of the department for which you seek authorization sign the Form. Complete the mandatory Defensive Driver Training course and attach the certificate indicating that you have completed the course to the Form. Submit both documents to the Department of Public Safety. The Department of Department of Public Safety will obtain a copy of your Motor Vehicle Report from your state department of motor vehicles to ensure that your driving record complies with the guidelines in the Policy. If authorization is granted by the Department of Department of Public Safety, your name will be placed on the Approved Authorized Drivers list, updated weekly on the "Motor Vehicle Program" webpage on the Public Safety website, under the "Transportation" tab.

Where can I obtain more information on the mandatory Defensive Driver Training course?

See on the "Driver Safety Training Course" section below, or contact the Department of Environmental Health & Safety at X3494.

I rent a motor vehicle while I am traveling on University business or attending conferences. Do I have to comply with this Policy?

Yes. You must complete the Driver Authorization Form and obtain authorization from the Department of EH&S to operate a motor vehicle for these purposes.

I have accidents and/or violations on my motor vehicle record. Can I still drive a motor vehicle owned or leased by the University or rent a motor vehicle for University-related activities?

Does the Policy contain driver and passenger safety guidelines?

Yes. Please see the Policy for compete details (Section 7.0). Some examples include mandatory seat belt use, bans on smoking and cell phone use, and a prohibition on driving University owned or leased motor vehicles more than three-hundred miles one-way from the Bristol campus.

Can I use my personal motor vehicle to conduct University business?

Employees may use their personal motor vehicles to conduct University business and will be reimbursed for mileage, subject to the University’s Travel and Entertainment Policy. This reimbursement is intended to cover the costs to operate an employee’s motor vehicle, including insurance costs. The University’s liability insurance, if applicable, is always excess over any personal automobile insurance carried by the employee. The University requires that employees who regularly use their motor vehicles on University business maintain automobile liability insurance with limits of at least $100,000 for bodily injury for each person and $300,000 for bodily injury for each occurrence. Property and collision damage is the sole responsibility of the motor vehicle’s owner.

Students are permitted to use their personal motor vehicles to conduct University business if they have obtained driver authorization and meet the other requirements of the Policy (Section 6.1)

Employees using their personal motor vehicles to conduct University business need not obtain driver authorization.

What should I do if I am in an accident?

If the accident occurs on-campus, contact the Department of Public Safety immediately. If the accident occurs off-campus, contact 911 or the local police department so that a police report is prepared. See the Policy for a complete list of what to do in the event of an accident.

Can I operate a motor vehicle owned or leased by the University for personal use?Can I operate a motor vehicle rented for University-related activities for personal use?

No. Any damages and/or liabilities arising out of the personal use of the motor vehicle are the sole responsibility of the driver. The University will expect the driver’s personal automobile insurance to respond in the event of an accident or any other event arising out of such personal use. Sanctions may be imposed upon violators including, but not limited to, termination of employment for employees and suspension or expulsion for students.

I have questions about this Policy. Whom can I contact?

Contact the Department of Public Safety at ext. 3333 or the Department of Environmental Health and Safety at ext. 3494.

May a third-party (i.e. someone who is a non-employee or student) operate a Motor Vehicle?

No. The Motor Vehicle Use Policy specifically prohibits third-parties from operating a Motor Vehicle. If there are circumstances where there is a perceived business need for a third-party to operate a Motor Vehicle (e.g., a spouse or volunteer participating in a trip), please contact Rachel Nuzzo in the Office of General Counsel (x 5582; rnuzzo@rwu.edu) at least thirty (30) days in advance of any such need to discuss possible accommodations.

Driver Safety Training Course

Students
All students seeking driver authorization are required to complete the course as part of their authorization process.

Log in to Bridges using your Roger Williams University username ("jsmith") and password

Join the "EHS Training" site by clicking on the "Membership" tab on the left hand side of your Bridges home page, then clicking on the "Joinable Sites" tab, and then the "EHS Training" site link (sites are listed alphabetically).

On the EHS Training site home page, click on Defensive Driver Training link. This will display the video.

Once you have finished watching the video, fill out an e-Signature Page by clicking on the e-Signature link.

After you complete and submit the e-Signature page, it will display an "Initial Report" page which is a copy of your submitted form.

The Initial Report page is your completion certificate!

Print out this report as your completion certificate and attach it to the Driver Authorization Form.

If you have any issues please call EHS at Ext.3494 or Ext 3781

Employees
Employees are required to complete the hands on course only if requesting to drive 9-12 passenger vans, but it is recommended that they view the online training.
Please note that in regards to the hands-on training this may be scheduled through the authorizing department.

If there are any questions regarding the Motor Vehicle Use Policy please contact the Environmental Health and Safety Office at extension 3494 or visit EH&S’s webpage.

Passenger Van Safety

All persons driving a 9-12 passenger van for Roger Williams University should be familiar with the handling characteristics of the vans and familiar with the followingsafety tips:

IN ADDITION TO THE ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVER REQUIREMENTS IT IS IMPORTANT THAT VANS ONLY BE OPERATED BY AUTHORIZED DRIVERS.THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND AND BE FAMILIAR WITH THE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VANS, ESPECIALLY WHEN FULLY LOADED

FOLLOWING DISTANCE

Always maintain a safety cushion around the vehicle as you are traveling and drive in the right-hand lane whenever possible

When driving conditions are good maintain 4 seconds behind other traffic

When driving conditions are bad, maintain at least 6 seconds behind other traffic

Remember when entering a rotary you have less visibility and less maneuver ability

MIRRORS

Adjust mirrors so that you can barely see the edge of the van in the mirror

When changing lanes, always check for blind spots by leaning forward in your seat to change your sight angle and then by turning your head